Author Topic: Best butan soldering iron?  (Read 11202 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline baastrupTopic starter

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 38
  • Country: dk
Best butan soldering iron?
« on: December 25, 2016, 09:53:41 pm »
Hey.

I'm looking for a good little butane gas soldering iron for hobby/home projects.

It should have:
self ignition.
Replaceble tips and available on market 😉
Torch function.
Max $50

Any recommendations?

 

Offline 4cx10000

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 149
  • Country: se
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2016, 12:37:32 am »
Hi!

I bought a Dremel butane soldering torch for about 5 years back and I am quiet satisfied. It has enough power to solder outdoors; use it mostly to solder rf connectors and some other quick fixes where there is not possible to bring a soldering stations.  I can not say if they have more than one tip for soldering though. Prices at Amazon is $39.99
 
The following users thanked this post: baastrup

Offline cs.dk

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 642
  • Country: dk
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2016, 09:24:48 am »
Since you're located in DK, i would recommend getting a Portasol - You can buy tips, etc. to them many places.
 

Offline Fortran

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 206
  • Country: fi
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2016, 10:11:12 am »
+1 on Portasol.
The one I used at my last job didn't have self ignite though. Only a sparkler in the cover.
Quite easy to use, and good enough for most soldering jobs. Heck I even chipped a PS2 with it once.  :D
You'll never find a portable that's as good as a proper station, but I guess you know that already.

Oh and watch out where you point the vent, or you will set stuff on fire.
 

Offline baastrupTopic starter

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 38
  • Country: dk
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2016, 08:01:43 pm »
I ended up with the Dremel 2000-6 from amacon.fr for around 40€ inc shipping.
Tips seems to be widely available:-)
 

Offline ornea

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 135
  • Country: au
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2016, 04:54:45 am »
Not gas, but bigclive gives one particular rechargeable iron a review and a thumbs up.
 

Offline dimkasta

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 185
  • Country: gr
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2017, 10:42:28 pm »
+1 for the versatip. I have it for a couple of years and it works very nicely.
 

Offline BurningTantalum

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 358
  • Country: au
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2017, 10:45:30 am »
I have purchased several butane irons over the years, including a 'GasCat' from Maplins in the UK, and 'Portasol' and Iroda plus at least 2 other brands. All have suffered from the problem of losing all the gas over a few days. I have given up with them and reverted to my old faithful Radio Spares orange battery iron for 'off site' jobs. It is at least 37 years old and was originally NiCad powered but now LiIon.
BT
 

Offline BradC

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2104
  • Country: au
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2017, 12:24:30 pm »
I have purchased several butane irons over the years, including a 'GasCat' from Maplins in the UK, and 'Portasol' and Iroda plus at least 2 other brands. All have suffered from the problem of losing all the gas over a few days. I have given up with them and reverted to my old faithful Radio Spares orange battery iron for 'off site' jobs. It is at least 37 years old and was originally NiCad powered but now LiIon.
BT

I had this problem with the iroda. I found I could hear it leaking from the fill valve if it listened closely, so now I fill it up and give the valve a poke to vent some gas. This allows it to seal properly and I've had no problems keeping a full iron over a year between uses (it lives in the toolbox in my car. Some years it sees a lot of use, some it sees none).

The portasol I had during my apprenticeship ( back in the early 90s ) was awesome, but I wore it out. I bought the iroda in 2009, and it does the job. Moreso now I know how to stop it leaking.
 

Offline BurningTantalum

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 358
  • Country: au
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2017, 01:42:44 pm »
Thanks for the info, BradC - I will dig them all out tomorrow and have another look although I think I threw the GasCat out years ago after Maplins would not replace it under warranty, but still have the Portasol and the Iroda (SolderPro50 from memory) The other two were no-name stubby cheapos from yard sales, one of which would erupt into flame from all joins and orifices at random moments.
BT
 

Offline noidea

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 209
  • Country: au
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2017, 08:02:54 am »
Sorry to Necropost but I'm in the hunt for a new butane soldering iron and this seems to be the most recent thread on them.

I've had no name cheapies in the past and my most recent was an Iroda Solderpro 70 which like most other peoples leaked at the fill valve, even after giving it a little push to reseat it so I am pretty much over Irodas too. I'm happy to spend a bit up to around AU$150 buts as I'm based in Aus my choices are probably limited, I think I'd also prefer something that can be filled from a butane refill cylinder rather than having to buy special cartridges.

Any suggestions?
 

Offline BU508A

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4522
  • Country: de
  • Per aspera ad astra
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2017, 08:17:06 am »
I've bought years ago the WELLER Pyropen and I am really satisfied with it's performance.

Here is a link:
http://www.weller-toolsus.com/weller-wpa2-weller-pyropen-kit.html

Ok, it is not the cheapest one but if it will not brake in any way it will be my last one :)
“Chaos is found in greatest abundance wherever order is being sought. It always defeats order, because it is better organized.”            - Terry Pratchett -
 

Offline RGB255_0_0

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 772
  • Country: gb
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #12 on: March 28, 2017, 08:24:33 am »
W2aew did a review of one (member here) on YouTube a couple of weeks ago. On my phone so can't dig it out but find him on YouTube.
Your toaster just set fire to an African child over TCP.
 

Offline tkuhmone

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 76
  • Country: fi
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #13 on: March 28, 2017, 01:15:26 pm »
I've bought years ago the WELLER Pyropen and I am really satisfied with it's performance.
Here is a link:
http://www.weller-toolsus.com/weller-wpa2-weller-pyropen-kit.html
I do have also Pyropen, have been happy with it :) It is ok with smaller heat shrink tubes, if I need a bigger shrink tube - then use a 230V AC hot air gun - or portable butane torch.
Timo, OH7HMS
 

Offline tpowell1830

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 863
  • Country: us
  • Peacefully retired from industry, active in life
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #14 on: March 28, 2017, 02:18:09 pm »
W2aew did a review of one (member here) on YouTube a couple of weeks ago. On my phone so can't dig it out but find him on YouTube.

Iso-Tip SolderPro 90 Butane Soldering Iron

PEACE===>T
 

Offline noidea

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 209
  • Country: au
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #15 on: March 30, 2017, 07:27:39 am »
I've bought years ago the WELLER Pyropen and I am really satisfied with it's performance.
Here is a link:
http://www.weller-toolsus.com/weller-wpa2-weller-pyropen-kit.html
I do have also Pyropen, have been happy with it :) It is ok with smaller heat shrink tubes, if I need a bigger shrink tube - then use a 230V AC hot air gun - or portable butane torch.
The price of a Pyropen has been putting me off as most places they are >$200 AUS but I've just found a place online that has it for about $150 AUs which puts it in the ballpark.
Doing some research I've worked out that they are actually made in Japan and the same as Engineer:
http://www.engineer.jp/en/products/sk70e.html
or Master appliance
https://www.masterappliance.com/heat-tool-products/butane-powered/ultratorches/ultratorch-ut-100si
But the master appliance one now has torch function built in so maybe its off to Amazon to find someone who will ship to Aus
Too hard to chose  :-\
 

Offline tkuhmone

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 76
  • Country: fi
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #16 on: April 01, 2017, 09:16:34 am »

Doing some research I've worked out...
Interesting information, did not know earlier that Pyropen would be made under diffrent brand(s). Only indication on my Pyropen Piezo, is a serial number sticker. It has text "made in Japan"  :)
Timo, OH7HMS
 

Online David Hess

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16549
  • Country: us
  • DavidH
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #17 on: April 01, 2017, 12:22:23 pm »
I've bought years ago the WELLER Pyropen and I am really satisfied with it's performance.

Here is a link:
http://www.weller-toolsus.com/weller-wpa2-weller-pyropen-kit.html

Ok, it is not the cheapest one but if it will not brake in any way it will be my last one :)

They certainly work but on mine, the clear plastic butane reservoir which acts as a sight glass cracked.  I recommend getting a hard case to protect it when not in use.

The Weller Pyropen is sold under other brand names so I suspect they are just buying a branded version from an OEM; Ungar used to sell a version but in Ungar maroon instead of Weller blue.
 

Offline noidea

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 209
  • Country: au
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #18 on: April 01, 2017, 02:13:17 pm »
They certainly work but on mine, the clear plastic butane reservoir which acts as a sight glass cracked.  I recommend getting a hard case to protect it when not in use.

The Weller Pyropen is sold under other brand names so I suspect they are just buying a branded version from an OEM; Ungar used to sell a version but in Ungar maroon instead of Weller blue.

Thanks for the advice, I've found a reasonable price on the master appliance version and been trying to decide on getting it with the metal case or just the cap that covers the hot end. Most of the time my old iron used to live in a small parts case with a solder sucker, crimpers and lugs and the original box got thrown out. I might see if I can get the cover separately.

I wonder who really is the OEM of these?
 

Online David Hess

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16549
  • Country: us
  • DavidH
Re: Best butan soldering iron?
« Reply #19 on: April 01, 2017, 03:38:58 pm »
Thanks for the advice, I've found a reasonable price on the master appliance version and been trying to decide on getting it with the metal case or just the cap that covers the hot end. Most of the time my old iron used to live in a small parts case with a solder sucker, crimpers and lugs and the original box got thrown out. I might see if I can get the cover separately.

I wonder who really is the OEM of these?

Well like I said based on my previous experience, I think having a hard case for these is mandatory; they are just too fragile in storage or when transported otherwise.

Master Appliance sounds familiar but I never concluded or really even looked for the original OEM.

The old standard for cordless soldering irons was ISO-TIP and I have gotten good use out of a couple of them but they are not nearly as powerful as the butane irons.
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf